SanDisk expands legal thrust with ST over flash technology

SAN JOSE, Calif.  SanDisk Corp. has expanded its litigation against STMicroelectronics Inc. over flash-memory technology, the company said Monday (April 25).

Last year, SanDisk (Sunnyvale, Calif.) filed suit against STMicroelectronics (Geneva) in the International Trade Commission and in the Northern District of California overall alleged infringement on its flash-memory technology.

SanDisk said it has expanded its legal efforts against the chip maker. This additional action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, includes seeking an order for damages and injunctive relief on STMMicroelectronics' NOR flash memory products.

"We believe that STM has been using SanDisk's patented technology for a number of years in their NOR products, in addition to their NAND products, in an attempt to unfairly capitalize upon the innovations and advancements developed by SanDisk," said E. Earle Thompson, SanDisk's chief intellectual property counsel, in a statement. "SanDisk intends to vigorously investigate and prosecute unlicensed companies that improperly use our patented technology."

Additional patents included in the most recent action U.S. Patent No. 5,719,808, entitled "Flash EEPROM System" and U.S. Patent No. 5,583,812, entitled "Flash EEPROM System Cell Array with More than Two Storage States Per Memory Cell."